Amusement device

ABSTRACT

An amusement device having a particularly unpredictable performance when rolled over a playing surface is formed as an ovoid member having a generally hemispheroidal first end portion and a generally paraboloidal second end portion. The first end portion is formed with a hollow structure so that the center of gravity of the ovoid member is spaced apart from the geometric center of the longitudinal axis. The two end portions of the device meet at a maximum diameter position which has a center which is itself spaced apart from both the center of gravity and the geometric center of the longitudinal axis of the device.

United States Patent 91 Stroud 1 1 AMUSEMENT DEVICE [76] Inventor:Walter Stroud, 145 Lauder Ave.,

' Toronto, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed:- July 30, 1970 [21] Appl. No.:59,566

[52] US. Cl. ..273/l28 A [51] Int. Cl." ..A63b 71/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..273/l28 A, 128 R, 58 B [.56] i 1 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,195,267 7/1965 Gelilin ..273/l,28 A

665,861 I I .l/l90l Armbruster...

1,864,843 5/1932 McCall ..273/128 R [4 1 Jan. 23, 1973 PrimaryExaminer-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Theatrice BrownAttorney-Frank 1. Piper and Ame I. Fors [57] ABSTRACT An amusementdevice having a particularly unpredictable performance when rolled overa playing surface is formed as an ovoid member having a generallyhemispheroidal first end portion and a generally paraboloidal second endportion. The first end portion is formed with a hollow structure so thatthe center of gravity of the ovoid member is spaced apart from thegeometric center of the longitudinal axis. The two end portions of thedevice meet at a maximum diameter position which has a center which isitself spaced apart from both the center of gravity and the geometriccenter of the longitudinal axis of the device.

' 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEIJJAN 23 1913 3.712.627

INVENTOR. WALTER STROUD AGENT 1 AMUSEMENT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to amusement devices or balls orpucks which car'i be used in many different ways in games, or merely foramusement.

More particularly, the invention relates to an amuse ment device havinga particularly unpredictable behavior when rolled, or hit along theground with a hockey stick or the like. g g

Although play balls havingunpredictable and apparently erratic behaviorshave previously been proposed, there is still a need for a ball oramusement device which will not only present a high measure ofunpredictability but which will have a simple construction andconfiguration and consequently a relatively low manufacturing cost.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide anamusement device of the type indicated andwhich is characterized byhaving a high measure of unpredictability in its behavior.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device ofthetype indicated and which can be manufactured at a relatively lowcost.

,. 9SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION.

in its broadest scope, the present invention provides an amusementdevice which comprises an ovoid member having a major longitudinal axisaround'which said member is substantially symmetrical and ofsubstantially circular cross-sectional"configuration at each and everyposition therealong', said ovoid member having'a maximumtransversediameter at aposition Iongitudinally displaced from 'the geometriccenter of saidlongitudinal axis, and said ovoidmer'nber having 'amaterial distribution such that the center of gravity thereof is spacedapart from both said geometric center of saidllon'gitudinal axis andfrom the center of said maximum transversediameter.

'Other features of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionherein proceeds.

, BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be describedmerely by way 'of illustration .with reference to the accompanyingDESCRlPTlON'OF-THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The amusement device shown inthe accompanying Referring particularly to FIG. 2 of the accompanyingdrawings, it will be seen that the ovoid member 10 has an asymmetricallongitudinal configuration having a maximum transverse diameter asindicated at ll, 12 at a position offset along the longitudinal axis A-Afrom the geometric center L of that axis.

In accordance with a particularly important feature of this invention,the ovoid member 10 is manufactured with a material distribution suchthat its center of gravity as'indicated at G in FIG. 2 of theaccompanying drawings is spaced apart from both the geometric center Lof the longitudinal axis A-A and from its center T at its maximumdiameter. In the particular construction shown in the accompanyingdrawings, the

center of gravity is disposed on the longitudinal axis A-A between thegeometric center L and the maximum diameter transverse center T. It is,however,

equally within the scope of this invention to vary the .materialdistribution of the ovoid member 10 so that its center of gravity G isdisposed in other positions provided that such center of gravity isspaced apart from both the longitudinal center L and the maximumdiameter center T. v The ovoid member 10 may be formed in anyappropriate manner to ensure such spaced apart positions for its threecenters T, G and L and the particular construction shown in theaccompanying drawings is described merely by way of illustration. Thatparticular construction is, however, advantageous in that it permits themanufacture of the ovoid member 10 by a relatively simple andinexpensive moulding operation.

' In the illustrated construction, the ovoid member 10 7 endportion 14'.It should be emphasized that the inventionis in noway restricted to an amusernent device in which the generally paraboloidal end portion isprecisely geometrically paraboloidal. Similarly, it is not essentialthat the end portion of such an element be precisely geometricallyhemispheroidal. Variations drawings comprises "an ovoid member ofresilient material, generally indicated at 10 and which is generallysymmetrical about'its longitudinal axis as indicated at A-A in FIG. 2.-The ovoid member 10 has a substantially circular transverseconfiguration at eachand every position along its longitudinal axis A-A.

from such precise geometric configurations for the end portions 14 and15 are possible provided that the aforementioned centers G, T and L aremutuallylspaced apart.

Many different constructions for the ovoid member 10 can be adopted toprovide the material distribution necessary to ensure the desiredlocation of the center of gravity. ln the particular member 10 shown inthe accompanying drawings, the generally paraboloidal end portion 15 ofthe ovoid member 10 is formed so as to be substantially solid whereasthe generally hemispheroidal end portion 14 is formed as a hollowhemispheroidal shell 16 bounded by a hemispherical outer surface 17 anda concentric hemispherical inner surface 18, the inner surface 18 of thehemispheroidal shell 16 defining a hemispheroidal chamber or compartment19 within the member l0.ln the particular member 10 shown in theaccompanying drawings, the chamber 19 extends a short distance into thegenerally paraboloidal end portion 15.

The ovoid member can be manufactured by any suitable method and willgenerally be formed by moulding a resilient material such as anelastomer which, if desired, may be foamed. Normally the element 10 willbe formed in two separate parts which can be bonded together, forexample by the use of a suitable adhesive. The member 10 could, forexample, be divided about its maximum diameter l1, 12 with the generallyhollow hemispheroidal end portion 14 being formed separately from thesolid generally paraboloidal end portion 15. Since such a manufacturingprocedure would, however, require the use of two different moulds, itcould well be advantageous to divide the member 10 longitudinally intotwo identical halves. Such halves could then be manufactured using asingle mould and could be assembled, for example, by means of anadhesive as indicated by the seam shown in the.

accompanying drawings. Although the invention is not restricted to anyparticular dimensions for the ovoid member 10, it can perhaps usefullybe noted that one such member was manufactured with an overall length of3 inches and with the generally hemispheroidal end portion 14 having adiameter of 2 inches.

The ovoid member 10 constituting an amusement device in accordance withthis invention may be used in many ways in which its unpredictablebehavior will be exhibited. It may, for example, be rolled by hand overany suitable playing surface or it may be used as a puck and hit overthe playing surface by players using hockey sticks or similar equipment.During its movement, the behavior of the member or puck 10 will be veryunpredictable due to the hereinbefore described spaced apart positionsof the three centers T, G and L. For example, when rolling along asurface, the member 10 may flip end over end when its velocity issufficiently high or it may roll about its longitudinal axis at lowervelocities. As a result of the displacement of the center of gravity Grelative to the longitudinal center L, the longitudinal axis A-A willnormally be inclined relative to the horizontal during such rolling andthe member 10 will, therefore, move across the surface along a curvedpath, the radius of which will vary in accordance with the speed of themember.

Similarly, the rebound behavior of the member 10 will be equallyunpredictable depending on the speed at which it hits a surface, on theposition on the element at which it hits the surface and on the angle ofincidence. Furthermore, the behavior of the member 10 may be affected bydifferences in the resilience of its generally hemispheroidal endportion 14 and its generally paraboloidal end portion 15, suchdifference being caused by the hollow structure of the former and thegenerally solid construction of the latter. On the other hand, thematerial from which the member 10 is formed and the structure of theshell 16 may be such that the two end portions have more or less thesame rebound resilience.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An amusement device comprising an ovoid member formed of a resilientelastomeric material and having a major longitudinal axis around whichsaid position therealon said ovoid member having a maximum transverseiameter at a position longr udinally displaced from the geometric centerof said longitudinal axis forming a generally hemispheroidal portiontherein comprising a generally hemispheroidal shell defined byconcentric inner and outer generally hemispherical surfaces defining ahemispherical chamber and a generally solid paraboloidal portion havingits base on said maximum transverse diameter the opposite axial sidethereof, so that the center of gravity of said ovoid member is locatedat a fixed point on said major longitudinal axis and spaced apartbetween said geometric center of said longitudinal axis and the centerof said maximum transverse diameter.

* 1r 4r a

1. An amusement device comprising an ovoid member formed of a resilientelastomeric material and having a major longitudinal axis around whichsaid member is substantially symmetrical; a substantially circularcross-sectional configuration at each and every position therealong,said ovoid member having a maximum transverse diameter at a positionlongitudinally displaced from the geometric center of said longitudinalaxis forming a generally hemispheroidal portion therein comprising agenerally hemispheroidal shell defined by concentric inner and outergenerally hemispherical surfaces defining a hemispherical chamber and agenerally solid paraboloidal portion having its base on said maximumtransverse diameter the opposite axial side thereof, so that the centerof gravity of said ovoid member is located at a fixed point on saidmajor longitudinal axis and spaced apart between said geometric centerof said longitudinal axis and the center of said maximum transversediameter.